Locomotives that are used for heavy haul applications are well known and typically operate in extreme environmental conditions, including sub-freezing temperatures and/or high altitudes. As such, these locomotives must provide critical life support systems, such as heating devices and/or oxygen generation devices, to the operator(s) of these locomotives. If any of these critical systems fail or are taken offline for any reason, the operator(s) must be able to survive and/or be comfortable until assistance arrives.
Unfortunately however, current locomotive electrical system designs only provide for some critical systems being connected to a battery while other critical systems (such as heating devices and oxygen generation devices) are connected to the output of the battery charger. This is because these loads are high compared to the battery capacity. As such, these critical systems are isolated from the battery via a diode to prevent these systems from discharging the battery, as shown in FIG. 1. Currently, the only battery level power connection existing between locomotives are the train-lines which are used for control applications and are not capable of supplying power.
As such, if the locomotive fails to operate and ceases to supply power to the critical systems, such as the heating device and/or the oxygen generating device, then these critical systems will fail to function. This is undesirable because if the critical systems, such as the heating device and/or oxygen generating device, fails during operation in these environmental conditions, the locomotive operator will be exposed to sub-freezing temperatures and low oxygen levels, thus risking serious injury including hypothermia and frost bite or even death.